CHAPIN, S.C. — Spring has sprung in Irmo and students at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies are kicking off their annual spring plant sale.
“I've just grown to love it and grown to appreciate our outdoors and people who work in agriculture so much more,” Emily Darden said.
Darden is one of the many students in the Agricultural Education Program at the Center in Chapin.
“We can sit in the classroom and look on the board and talk about how plants are planted but it’s just a whole different perspective when you come up here and you're able to take seedlings and grow them into sprouts and cuttings and plant them,” she said.
Colorful petunias, lantanas and vegetable seeds are ready for sale and the students are benefitting in and outside the greenhouse.
“It’s helped me find my career choice. I started off Freshman year having no idea what to do with my life and I think joining FFA (Future Farmers of America) has really helped me figure out what I want to do. I want to I want to go into being an AG teacher and this will be my future,” Josef Merillat a 12th grade student, said.
Back in the fall students helped community members get ready for the holidays with their annual poinsettia sale, now they’re back to help people grow their gardens for the spring.
Locally vegetable seeds can range from $2-$5 when you buy them in store. The students are selling sprouts in trays ready to be replanted for $1 each.
“I've been coming out at least the past five I've bought a lot of their produce last year and it’s done great,” customer Jessica Edenfield said. “They have a great selection, the prices are awesome and I just want to support local,”
Money from the sales help to fund the Center’s Future Farmers of America chapter and allows them participate in different trips and activities throughout the year.
“We use all of our proceeds from this for our FFA chapter . It's great. it helps us go on our trips to go to nationals or state conventions, and talk to people. It helps us bring awareness to different issues we may be having in the school district with FFA or even in for farmers as well,” Merillat said.
The plant sale will go on until Wednesday the 27th. The sale goes from 9am-5pm. The Center is located at 916 Mt. Vernon Church road in Chapin.